Celebrating Independence Day

A parade of vyshyvankas (Ukrainian traditional embroidered shirts) took place during last year's Independence Day celebrations on Spivoche Pole near Pecherska Lavra in Kyiv. Apart from capital celebrations, plenty of festivals will be happening around the country to commemorate Ukraine's 21st anniversary of independence.

Ukraine will mark its 21st anniversary of Independence on Aug. 24. Apart
from traditional celebrations scheduled for the coming weekend in Kyiv,
plenty of ethnic festivals for any taste and budget will be happening
all around the country.

Kyiv Post offers you a selection of places that are worth visiting during the extended weekend that starts Independence Day:

EtnovyrEthnic festivalLviv

Here’s a good opportunity to learn more about the traditions and culture of Ukraine, Mexico, Martinique, Israel, Macedonia, Portugal, France, Italy, the Basque country, the Republic of Burundi, Czech Republic, Poland, India and Spain.

Traditional music, dances, handicrafts and cuisine of these countries will be featured during the five-day international ethnic fest happening in Lviv between Aug. 22 and Aug. 26. Folk bands will be giving concerts and dancing master classes and visitors will be treated to local food and drinks.

Besides the Independence Day, the festival is celebrating its own anniversary. It will be held for 5th time this year.

If watching movies is your thing, visit KinoLev open-air film festival that will be held in Lviv between Aug. 22-26.

The best movies by one of the brightest representatives of the new wave of French cinema Claude Chabrol and well-known Georgian-Ukrainian filmmaker Sergiy Paradzhanov are on the schedule. As a special treat, the festival will screen a modern Ukrainian movie that featured in the 2010 Cannes festival, called “You. My joy.”

The program of this festival is an exciting mixture of fencing tournaments, folk dancing, ethnic rock gigs and breathtaking fireworks displays. Moreover, it will be held on the territory of the 14th century stone fortress (currently a museum) originally built by the Lithuanians.

Participants of historical fencing clubs will clash in 2×2 and 5×5 categories to create a unique and colorful show.

At the evening the visitors will be entertained by modern ethnic rock bands from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Guests of the event will also have chance to shoot an arrow, taste medieval cuisine as well as attend master classes in ancient crafts and hand-made gifts fair.

One of the oldest and most picturesque, the Lutsk castle will be hosting its own fencing fest this weekend. Also built in the 14th century by Lithuanian prince Liubart , the castle will gather crowds for two celebrations. On top of Independence Day, the city of Lutsk mark its 927th birthday.

The fanciers of fencing will be arriving from within Ukraine, and from a number of foreign lands, too. Potters and blacksmiths will also be there, teaching common folk their craft.

Blacksmiths from Ukraine and other countries will be the main heroes of this festival. They will show off their skills, and will forge a giant heart of steel, hence the name of the fest.

The program of the festival also features a jazz concert, a chess championship and a fair where forged steel goods will be on offer. Special master classes for disabled children will be run by blacksmiths on Aug.25.

The Ballads of Ancient Kyiv ethnic festival is scheduled for Aug 24-26 in Kyivska Rus medieval outdoor themed Park in Kopachiv village in Kyiv region.

Around 700 participants of the historical reconstruction clubs from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Lithuania and Germany are set to be dressing up and acting out medieval lives of their characters.

Period music and master classes in ancient folk arts and crafts are also on the schedule. The festival will end with a fireworks display and an ethnic disco party.

For the detailed information visit http://www.parkkyivrus.com/ Entrance fee – Hr 100Marshrutkas (Hr 20) will go to the festival grounds place from Vydubychi metro stop every two hours.050 385-20-35, 067 910-99-81

Cossack Mamay FestEthnic festivalMamayeva Sloboda, KyivAug.23-24

The festival is set to bring together Ukrainians and foreigners with the last name Mamay at Mamayeva Sloboda, Kyiv’s ethnic themed park, just a short ride from the city center.

The legendary warrior Cossack Mamay, is considered a symbol of Ukraine’s national idea.

Visitors will have a chance to take part in a ceremony of streaming the biggest national flag of Ukraine to mark Independence Day, as well as enjoy traditional Cossack songs performed by ethnic bands.

For more information go to http://mamajeva-sloboda.ua/news.php?id=580Entrance fee – Hr 100To get there take marshrutka 427 from Palats Sportu metro stop, 454 from Vokzalna or a trolleybus 27 or 27k from Shuliavska metro stop.Mamayeva sloboda2 Mykhaila Dontsia St.044 361 98 48

All materials, including photographs, contained on this site are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of Public Media at news@kyivpost.com. All Interfax-Ukraine news agency stories cannot be reproduced or distributed in any form without written permission of Interfax-Ukraine.